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Friday, 20 December 2013

Devouring Books: Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

"My experiences slowly flattened and blended together until it became obvious that there's a huge difference between not giving a fuck and not being able to give a fuck."

Sometimes it feels like Hyperbole and a Half (the blog) was written exclusively for me. I say this, not because I think I'm so amazing and hilarious that this entire blog is like my spirit animal, but more because, it was there when I needed it really badly, and continues to pop up at trying times in my life.

Here's my story with the blog: nearly three years ago, I was having some really really bad anxiety and depression issues (actually, at that point more anxiety than depression) and I couldn't settle down or do anything or feel anything except freaked out and it was a truly truly awful time. It was also during this time that I started this blog, which makes me feel like I should be kind of grateful for being mentally ill, but... Even with how awesome this all is, I still would give it all up never to feel that way again.* But anyway, in this time, I found Hyperbole and a Half, and for the first time in about a month, I laughed myself silly, and actually thought about other things than feeling like shit.

It was amazing, and I've never forgotten that Hyperbole and a Half is SO FUNNY that it can actually drag you out of your own miserable head for at least some of the day and make you feel better. When Brosh disappeared from her blog for a looooong time, and then returned with a post about depression, I was kind of stunned, but also I felt the most understood I had ever been in my whole life. I think it's an almost impossible sensation to understand unless you've actually been there yourself (and that's ok. You don't want to go there), but Brosh does the best job I've ever seen at explaining what depression actually feels like. And so she is the best at being funny AND the best at being serious and this is why I love her the most.

So, she wrote a book! It's definitely a mixture of stories that had already been on her blog (The God of Cake couldn't not be there, right?), like the aforementioned posts on depression, as well as some entirely new stuff. I ate it allllll up- I basically finished this book in one sitting, and it didn't really bother me that some of the stuff I'd already read before, because when I read her entire blog over a weekend like my life depended on it (which, not to be dramatic, but it sort of did) I didn't exactly commit everything on there to memory. If you've read her blog before, obviously you need this book, and if you haven't then you should probably start right now and not stop until you're done. I mean, if it can make a horribly anxious person laugh out loud, then imagine what it could do to you? You might die of laughter!**

I realise this isn't even a review so much as a 'This is what Hyperbole and a Half means to me' post, but you know, it's not that often you get to show your appreciation for a website and this one really deserves it. I really mean it when I say you need this in some form in your life, and even if you don't buy the book, you have to go and read some blog posts. I recommend this one, and this one, and also this one. Happy reading!

*Not that that's what I'm going to do, and also I LOVE YOU ALLLLLL.

**Note: You will probably not die of laughter. Also, please don't die of laughter.

12 comments:

I'm really hoping that somebody will get me this for Christmas. Alas, I don't think it's going to happen, mainly because I haven't told anyone I want it, hehe. So it'll have to be a Christmas present from me to me! Yay!

Everyone *should* read this. I'm pretty sure ic I was home having a regular Christmas I would have bought it for just about everyone I know because it's so great on so many levels. Since I read it as an ebook arc I need to get a physical copy so I can enjoy the art as it should be seen, not teensy little boxes.

Yessssss, you definitely need the paper copy. The pages are all different colours! The drawings are big sized! IT IS AWESOME! I realise that I haven't actually bought this for anyone for Christmas, and that is a SHAME. But still, there are always birthdays...

The depression posts were incredible - I literally sent my whole family over to the blog to read it, because THIS! THIS IS WHAT IT WAS LIKE INSIDE MY HEAD! And the one about never being an adult is so absolutely what I'm like - cycles of being very proud of myself for doing things, and being so exhausted I need a rest - that I couldn't stop laughing reading it! I swear to god that at 26 I should feel less like a 12 year-old masquerading as a grown up...

P.S. Now every time Mum has to scrape the car windscreen I brandish the ice scraper at her and yell IT'S IN THE BACK SEAT! And we both laugh like idiots, and it makes scraping the windscreen that much less of a crap job. SUCH IS THE MAGIC OF HAAH. :D

Honestly, the depression posts were just everything to me! The second one was a lot more my experience, I think, but still- both so good. Also, I DO THOSE THINGS TOO! I will honestly do ALL THE CHORES in one day, be really tired, and then pissed off when it becomes time to do them again. Fucking life!

I NEEEEEEED this book. I, like you, spent pretty much an entire...well I spread it over a week, but reading her entire blog. It is the best and even with the stories I know really well still make me cry laughing.

Alley! You do need this book! I would have secret santaed it to you if I'd known you didn't already have it! (sorry, I've gone exclaiming mad!) Also, fun fact, I really want to read her whole blog again. Even some of the early posts that are never going to make it into a book are still pretty hilare.

I FORGOT ABOUT THE TEXAS ONE. Oh fricken man, I love Hyperbole and a Half. Love love the Sneaky Hate Spiral one. I bought this book, but I'm holding off reading it until Christmas. I'm so glad that you, who loved the blog's face off, liked the book, too.

Awwww, thank you Kayleigh. I have been really well for really long, but I'm having some... feelings right now that are not so good. But I'll be ok.

I loooove the Texas one! There were a few I could remember loving but couldn't find (one about how her excitement about stuff ruins the actual event cause she can't sleep at all the night before so she's a big tired mess the next day and HELLO ME!) but that Texas one is preeeeetty great. 'Juice?'

Reading that first post you linked about never being able to be an adult, I really did almost die of laughter. I had to stop reading halfway through because the tears of laughter were in the way because the whole thing is me. So, so sooooo me. I'm giggling again just thinking about it. I must have this book!

I want this book. I need this book. Allie went away and I lost track of her until this book came out, and now I'm secretly hoping that this is the thing my husband got me for under my tree that he keeps saying I'll be all excited about. *crossesfingers*